Dick Cheney on Government Reform

Vice President of the United States; Former Republican Representative (WY)

Needless regulation on employers costs $7,000 per worker

We must continue to reduce the burden of needless regulation on employers. The hidden costs of regulation amount to $7,000 per worker, and that slows job creation in America. Our administration is committed to reducing the burden of overregulation
and making the rules simpler to understand. Small businesses should be focused on growing our economy and creating new jobs, not on fulfilling ineffective mandates from Washington, DC.

Didn’t vote in local elections because his focus was global

Cheney acknowledged he failed to vote in 14 of the past 16 elections in Texas. He was dismissive of the nonfederal elections he missed. “Go look at the elections in Texas there, an awful lot of these were local issues--that Highland Park school board
issue,” he said. Asked if local elections aren’t as important as federal elections, he said: “I’m sure they are for people that are connected with them. I was not involved in community affairs very extensively in Dallas. My focus was on global concerns.”

Source: Megan Garvey, Mark Z. Barabak, LA Times
Sep 9, 2000

Accused in 1992 House banking scandal

In 1992, Cheney was named along with a number of representatives in the House banking scandal. He acknowledged overdrawing his account 21 times, but in a military-style briefing featuring blowups of canceled checks, Cheney showed the
amounts ranged from $12 to $1,945. He also pointed out that he never went more than 5 days before a paycheck covered the overdrafts.

Cheney was also criticized for giving Pentagon briefings to supporters who had donated $5,000 to the RNC.

Source: Glen Johnson, Boston Globe, p. A12
Jul 26, 2000

Co-sponsored Line Item Veto for spending bills

H.R.3199 (1988):
A bill providing for any bill or joint resolution making continuing appropriations that is agreed to by both Houses of Congress in the same form to be enrolled as a series of separate bills or resolutions for presentation to the President.

Source: Thomas Register of Congressional Votes
Jan 1, 1988

Campaign reform: more parties; less unions & corporations

Cheney co-sponsored the following bills in Congress:

H.R.3081 (1984):A bill to increase the role of political parties in financing campaigns.

H.R.2895 (1988):A bill to amend the Federal Election Campaign Act with respect to
contributions and expenditures by national banks, corporations, and labor unions.

H.RES.500 (1984):
A resolution to provide for the periodic visual broadcast coverage of the entire House.

H.R.3939 (1984):A bill to make regulations more cost-effective, to ensure review of rules, and to enhance public participation in the regulatory process.

Source: Thomas Register of Congressional Votes
Jan 1, 1986

Sponsored bill for line-item veto on budgetary proposals

Cheney sponsored the following bill in Congress:

H.R.1247 (1985): A bill to provide that each item of any general or special appropriation bill and any bill or joint resolution making supplemental, deficiency, or
continuing appropriations that is agreed to by both Houses of the Congress in the same form shall be enrolled as a separate bill or joint resolution for presentation to the President.